Sweden, Czechs join growing boycott of hockey world championship games against Russia

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Hockey powers Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic will refuse to play against Russia at next year's world championship, as a growing boycott movement across Europe now includes six of the 16 nations in the men's tournament.

The rift in the sport deepened Tuesday as 11-time champion Sweden, Norway, Latvia and Denmark signed up to the boycott, and a top sponsor threatened to walk away, after Finland announced Monday it was rallying other nations to refuse to play Russia.

The Czech federation signed up too after initially saying it would wait for a board meeting next week. Austria told The Associated Press it is weighing up whether to join, and Germany is unsure of hosting the men's championship.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russian teams, beginning with the world juniors starting next month in Canada.

There was no immediate reaction from the IIHF to the boycotts.

Hockey power Sweden adds weight to boycott movement

The Swedish hockey federation said its board decided Tuesday that it would not play against Russia but would still play other world championship games. That was a turnaround from last week, after Sweden initially indicated a boycott was off the table after the CAS ruling Friday.

“The Three Crowns will not play Russia in coming world championship tournaments,” federation head Anders Larsson said in a statement, using the team's nickname.

The Swedish statement came shortly after Norway announced its boycott.

“Our position is that Russia should be excluded from all international championships as long as the war in Ukraine continues and remains unchanged,” the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association said in a statement. “At the same time, this decision is based on our responsibility to protect the safety and wellbeing of our players, team staff and their families. We believe that playing Russia under the current circumstances could expose our players and team staff to significant security risks. Our priority is therefore their mental health, wellbeing and personal safety.”

Norway only referred to the men's world championship in May in its statement. General secretary Petter Salsten told the AP that, in the case of the world juniors, Norway would potentially be removed from the tournament by the IIHF to make way for Russia. In that case, “if RUS is added, it is a huge possibility that NOR is out," he wrote via email, because Norway was the last team to qualify.

The chairman of Denmark’s hockey federation told the Ritzau news agency its teams would not play against Russia. Latvia's federation said it “reaffirms its longstanding and firm position" not to play against Russia or its ally Belarus.

The Austrian federation told the AP in an emailed statement: “We stand behind the decision of Finland and Norway and are currently looking into whether the European nations will join a boycott together. We are therefore not ruling out a boycott and are still coordinating with the authorities on this."

Finland is the defending men's world champion and Norway was the bronze medal-winner this year.

The growing boycott is similar to the situation in soccer in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On that occasion, all of Russia's potential World Cup qualifying opponents threatened to boycott. FIFA successfully argued at CAS for excluding Russia on the grounds that not doing so risked “irreparable and chaotic” harm to the competition.

Second major sponsor pressures IIHF

Finnish tire manufacturer Nokian Tyres said it will no longer sponsor the world championship if Russia takes part.

Tiina Frazer, senior vice president for brand, marketing and communications, said that “under the current circumstances, continuing the sponsorship if Russia participates would not be aligned with our values.”

Swedish furniture maker AJ Products, a tournament sponsor since 1989, said Monday it would ask for its logo not to be shown if Russia plays.

Previously, the chief executive of Germany's hockey federation said it could pull out of hosting the men's world championship next year over concerns about costs and security.

Junior tournaments are affected too, with the Finnish city of Turku saying it will not co-host next year's world juniors if Russia participates.

The Czech federation is hosting the women’s under-18 world championship in January and said Tuesday it would speak with the government about whether Russian players would be denied entry to the country.

One political figure in support of Russia's return is Slovakia's pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

“I’ve also always wondered what the value of a gold medal is, if on the way to it you don’t have to beat the Russian hockey players, who are undoubtedly among the best in the world," he posted on social media Saturday.

The women's world championship starting in Denmark this week is not affected by the CAS ruling and is going ahead without Russia.

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Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

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